An hour later, I descended into the dank, dark basement, where Papa kept his secret workshop.

A metallic, acrid smell of solder bombarded my senses as I entered his sacred realm. Vials filled with bubbling liquids simmered on gas burners and all three of his desks were strewn with papers. In his protective metal helmet and goggles, my father looked like a machine himself.

One of the phosphorescent solutions boiled and emitted a sulfuric stench. Papa raced over and removed it from the fire with a panicked flurry of movement.

"Oh, no, no, no," he muttered under his breath. "That's not right at all. Damn this thing! It worked before!" He added a few minerals to the solution, and the bubbling and disgusting smell faded. "Ahh, that's better."

"Papa, what are you doing?"

He turned towards me, his dark-brown eyes magnified by the lenses. "It's an anti-freezing agent. Go back upstairs, Helena. I must finish my project this evening."

For the past few months, he'd locked himself in the basement working on some secret design. Curiosity bubbled inside me like the effervescent potions in his beakers.

"But I love science just like you." I said as I picked up one of his books on engineering. "Please? You always say I should ignore the Gatál and remain curious about the world."

After he'd regained control over the chaotic mess, he gestured to me. "Ha, my daughter is using my own words against me."

I grinned with excitement, and he gave me a resigned sigh. "Argh, very well. You'll see it soon anyway."

Excitement welled within me like a geyser. Papa removed the protective gear and burst into a vibrant smile as he ushered me to the storage area.

"Come with me, Helena! Truth be told, I can't conceal it any longer. Keeping the secret this long almost killed me."

Papa rushed over to the other part of the workshop and opened a locked door with me close behind him. When we entered the concrete storage facility, I saw a very large machine covered by a gigantic canvas tarp. On the far end, a giant metal door almost as wide as our house had replaced the brick wall. A cold draft swept through the area, and I hugged myself to keep warm.

Gaping with wonder, I stared at the hidden device, which almost filled the entire space.

My father gave me a serious look. "You must swear to me that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to show you. It's top secret. If the Gatál discover that I've created it, they will kill us all."

A lump rose in my throat, and for a second I couldn't speak. "I swear."

With a flourish, Papa pulled back the tarp bit by bit, revealing a wooden machine that resembled a bird. At the front were several metal blades that looked like they could saw a barn in half, much less a person. Not even the Gatál had used that kind of technology before or since the invasion.

"Whoa!" I gaped at the giant machine. "Papa, will this defeat our enemies?"

Papa chuckled as he ran his fingers lovingly over the surface. "No, my dear. I call her the Falcon. She can maneuver through the air and take us to safety."

"What?"

"We can finally escape from this dreaded land."

"You mean to tell me that thing can fly?" I exclaimed in an excited whisper. "That's impossible."

His eyes twinkled. "Do you remember the day you took your exams?"

I nodded, aghast.

"Your mother used her magic power to make us invisible while we transported it to the barren fields of Kratvach for a test run. We've had several practice flights since then."

"That place is forbidden."

"Lots of things are forbidden," Papa growled. His angry gaze almost pierced me. "If the Gatál destroyed a village, we might as well put it to good use."

"So, you tested it?"

He nodded. "It works." Papa gave the wooden bird a loving tap.

"How?" I asked, breathless. "Does it use magic?"

"To those who do not understand, we would seem like magical gods," he whispered. "No, it's pure science."

Reaching out with a tentative hand, I touched the surface. Smooth to the touch, the outside resembled silky paper. "Did you make it yourself? She's beautiful!"

His chest puffed out with pride. "I'm glad you like her."  

"Can you teach me the science?" I asked. "I want to learn everything about it."

"One day, I'll teach you everything I know. Master de Moravia made schematics from the information he gleaned in his visions over the course of five years."

"You mean he learned this in his sleep?" I asked, wide-eyed. "And then taught you in person?"

"Yes, in a way."

How is that even possible?

"Do the other ministers in the Society of Knowledge know about this?"

He paused before he said, "Only one of us."

"You won't tell the others?"

"It's too dangerous," he whispered. "I don't trust them not to use it for nefarious purposes."

"What do you mean?"

Papa put his arm around me and whispered, "Master de Moravia has studied these machines in a series of visions. He has an eidetic memory--even in his dream state--and copied the schematics he saw. With a few adjustments, I made it possible in real life." 

"How do visions work, though? How can someone possibly learn how to fly in a dream?"

My father paused as though he were trying to figure out how to explain a complicated concept to a small child. "He saw our world, but with different people. Different places. Different rules. He interacted with them, and they trained him. I don't quite understand how visions work."

"And they had these machines?"

"He said they were everywhere," Papa said. "Between you and me, something troubled me about his vision."

"What is it?"

Papa furrowed his brow. "He saw those people use machines like this one being used in great battles that destroyed whole cities."

"This thing?" I asked, amazed. "No offense, but it looks so fragile."

"They become stronger," he said as he gave me an apologetic glance. "He said that metal birds shrieked through the air like gray dragons before they spewed fire."

"Papa, we can't do that!" My throat constricted at the mere thought. "Not even to evil people like the Gatál."

My father put his hands on my shoulders. "That's why we must keep it an absolute secret. I used the plans that the Master copied from his vision." Papa paused and rubbed his forehead. "He thinks we should use it to conquer the Gatál."

"No!"

"I know, Helena." He pursed his lips. "After we escape, I'm going to destroy it along with all the schematics. No one will know it even existed."

"What if someone discovers how it works without the schematics?"

"It's too complicated," he replied. "There is a powerful mechanism that runs on liquid fire."

My eyes widened. "Liquid fire?"

"If you control it just right, you power the mechanism, and it's safe."

"Does Mama know about this?"

"Mama doesn't like the idea." Papa pursed his lips. "She's afraid for our safety and scared for the people we'll leave behind. She ..."

I grasped my father's arm. "What, Papa?"

He gave me a wary look. "She's afraid the Gatál might use my invention for war."

With a heavy sigh, I left the storage facility and rested on the bottom step of the stairwell. Gazing at the marvel my father had created, I watched as he carefully covered it with the tarp. The bird possessed the power to take us to safety and the power to destroy us.

"Should something this formidable be allowed to roam the Earth?" I asked as he locked the door.

He stood in the middle of the room, silent as the dawn. Deep in thought.

"What is it, Papa? You can tell me."

"Helena, I need you to be safe," he said, his voice terse as he faced me in the foyer. "I don't want the Gatál to drag you into their horrific world--it would destroy you. We are going to escape tonight."

"Papa, can't we just wait and see what they have to say first?" I shrugged and tried to keep my voice as nonchalant as possible. "It might not be as bad as we think."

"You are too young, Helena. You haven't seen the world enough to know better."

"That's not true."

"You don't understand--they're evil. The Gatál won't rest until they turn you into a copy of them," he said in an angry whisper. "I just have to convince your mother to leave with us."

My heart pounded in my chest. We'd be sitting in a mechanical bird containing liquid fire--one that might not survive the long journey. The Falcon was only made out of wood, after all.

Suddenly, a thought hit me like a bolt of lightning. "There's only room for two people--a pilot and a passenger."

Papa nodded with a solemn expression. To my shock, he said the unfathomable. "The two of us have to leave first."

"Without Mama?" I exclaimed. "No way! We're not leaving her behind!"

"I'll come back for her the next day," he said, pursing his lips.

"Papa, you don't know what you're saying," I cried out in an angry whisper. "I'm due to go to the castle tomorrow. What if the Gatál come to the farm and find me missing?"

"We have to take that chance."

"We can't do that to her."

"Helena!"

Crossing my arms, I narrowed my eyes at Papa. "I'm not going without her."

"I'm your father, Helena!" he shouted. "You will do as I tell you!"

Papa loved Mama so much--how could he consider leaving her, even for a day? What if the Gatál found her and tortured her for information? Or worse?

Without a word, Papa stormed towards his workshop and slammed the door. The resulting click told me he refused to discuss the matter any further. Instead of fighting with him any longer, I lumbered up the stairs and made my way to the study.

Mama stopped reading and gave me a worried look. "Were you and Papa fighting just now, Helena?"

"Don't worry about it," I mumbled under my breath.

Mama set her book down and tilted her head. "Helena ..."

"I said never mind!"

"Young lady, you watch your tone," she said in a firm voice as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Sorry, Mama."

"What's the matter?" Her voice softened. "Are you worried about the summons? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm just tired," I said, determined not to betray my father's secret. "I'm going to sleep."

After I made my way to my room, I snuggled under the covers with a book until I drifted into a restless slumber.

In the middle of the night, hushed bickering woke me. Papa was yelling in harsh whispers. I sprang out of bed and crept forward towards their closed bedroom door so that I could hear them.

"This is no mistake," he said, urgency lacing his voice. "We have to leave."

"Shh, you'll wake her," Mama replied. "We've discussed this already, Andreas. Don't make any rash decisions, or you'll put us all at risk for nothing. For all we know, it could be an error."

"I don't care, Aurora. It's our sworn duty to protect our daughter." Papa insisted. "We should leave tonight under the cover of darkness. I swear I'll come back for you."

"It's not about me!" Mama exclaimed in hushed tones. "If we flee, the Gatál will punish everyone we love."

"You have to think about your family first."

"You can't let the enemy find out the plans for that death trap."

"I'll be careful."

"What if they find a way to shoot down the Falcon?" Mama hissed. "Like the Master saw in his vision?"

"What if they take our daughter forever?" Papa asked. "Could you live with that? What if they turn her into a Shadow Rider? With her mind and her latent power? No, we can't let them."

"Don't be silly, Andreas. Let Helena choose her profession like any normal child. Then we can make a decision."

"My love, I respect you dearly," Papa said, "but right now you are being stubborn and naive."

"And you're being reckless and blind!"

My father groaned in dismay.

"Just hear them out," Mama said. "What if they want Helena to tutor Gatál children? She's aced all her exams, so it's likely."

"Fine!" Papa shouted. "If something happens to her, it's on you."

I heard the bed creak as my father stormed towards the door. I scurried to my room just in time. Crawling under the covers, I pretended to be asleep.

My father stopped by my room, and I could see him take a quick look at me before he headed down into his workshop.

___

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. Please vote and/or comment on this chapter if you enjoyed it. Any feedback or constructive criticism you have is greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to AvaDeveraux who gave me the inspiration to write a chapter that cements the father-daughter relationship that Andreas and Helena have before the dreaded Shadow Rider scene.